The present invention relates generally to electronic messages, and more particularly, to improved methods, computer programs, and apparatus for performing format conversion of files attached to electronic messages.
Electronic messages, including emails, instant messages, and wireless text messages, are well known in the art. These electronic messages are oftentimes used to convey file attachments from a sending device to a receiving device. Attachments can include any file category, such as data, computer applications, graphics, photographs, images, word processing documents, spreadsheets, and other files. Since any of a plurality of different software programs may be used to generate and edit a particular file category, there are a plurality of different file formats corresponding to each of the aforementioned file categories. For example, spreadsheets can be created using the Lotus 123 format, or any of the competing formats from Excel and Quattro.
The file category and format are identified by a decimal point delimiting character followed by a three-character file extension (denoted as .xxx) appended to the name of the file (i.e., filename.xxx). Word processing documents using the Notepad format are identified with a file extension of .txt, whereas word processing documents using the Microsoft Word format are identified with a file extension of .doc. Photographs and image files may be in any of a variety of formats, such as .jpg, .tif, .pdf, .bmp, or .gif. Illustrative formats for audio files include .wav and .mp3, whereas movie files may be in .mov or .mpg format. A few file formats can be used to represent files from a plurality of different file categories. For example, an Adobe Acrobat file, denoted by the extension .pdf, may represent a word processing document, a graphics file, or an image.
An electronic message with an accompanying attached file is typically sent over a private network (Intranet) or a public communication network (Internet) using a central electronic message server coupled to a storage device. The receiving device then retrieves the electronic message with the attachment. However, in order to “open” the attached file, the receiving device must have access to a software program equipped to process the file format of the attachment. Pursuant to one illustrative example, assume that the attachment is in .doc format. The receiving device can open the attachment if the receiving device is loaded with a copy of Microsoft Word. On the other hand, if the attachment is in .pdf format, but the receiving device does not have access to Adobe Acrobat software (either as a resident program or accessible from a network drive), the recipient is unable to open the attachment. Pursuant to another example, an attachment includes a photographic image in .gif or .bmp format, but there is only one program at the receiving device that is equipped to open images, and this program can only open files that are in .jpg format. By way of further illustration, an attachment includes an audio file in .wav format, but the media player programs on the receiving device are only capable of opening audio files in .mp3 format.
Not infrequently, the sender of an electronic message will send an attached file to a receiving device that does not have access to the necessary software to open the file. The recipient may attempt to open the file with a multiplicity of different programs, all to no avail. Alternatively, one of the recipient's software programs may open the attachment, but the recipient's program differs from the software used by the creator of the file, resulting in an opened attachment that may differ significantly from the original file. In the aforementioned scenarios, the recipient must then email the sender, informing the sender that the attachment cannot be opened properly. The sender then has the option of converting the file into a format that the receiving device is equipped to read, or to use another medium to communicate information contained in the file to the recipient.
The inability to open a file attachment leads to frustration, lost productivity, and wasted time. What is needed is a reliable, consistent technique by which an attached file can be converted into a format that is readable by a receiving device. In this manner, recipients of electronic messages can open file attachments without the frustration of asking the sender to transmit another message that includes the attached file in another format.